Again in January I had a large fuck it second. Now, I’m not somebody who goes in for all this new year resolution factor, however I do wish to set targets and problem myself slightly. So, when a working buddy despatched a message out on our Whatsapp group concerning the Atlantic Coast Problem at exactly the second I used to be sat there pondering over the kind of challenges I may do, it felt like a message from the universe. And so I signed up, there after which, performing on impulse, understanding full properly that if I considered it an excessive amount of I’d discuss myself out of it.
What Is The Atlantic Coast Problem?
The Atlantic Coast Problem is a multi day extremely occasion in Cornwall organised by Votwo Events. Set over 3 days, the problem begins from a degree simply exterior Padstow following the South West Coastal Path and ending up at Lands Finish. The way you get there’s as much as you. You possibly can run, jog, hike, stroll, hell you may even crawl if it’s important to, however principally it’s a marathon a day throughout wild and rugged terrain with a complete tonne of ups and downs thrown in for good measure. Remind me why I signed as much as this precisely!?!?!
This isn’t one thing you may simply rock as much as and hope for the very best. It’s essential prepare, it’s worthwhile to take it critically and it’s worthwhile to commit. The furthest distance I had run earlier than was about 17 miles. This was going to be a complete of 80 miles over 3 days. Shit simply obtained tremendous severe. However hey it was January, the occasion wasn’t till October, I had loads of time. And so I forgot about it. Nicely, not completely, it was nonetheless lurking on the fringe of my mind, however I used to be recurrently working about 15-20 miles in complete throughout every week and I had some massive hikes deliberate for in between, so I wasn’t apprehensive.
The coaching began to ramp up round concerning the summer season. As I stated, I’d already busted out some fairly hefty climbing miles – myself and a few associates had hiked throughout the Isle of Wight over the house of three days, and I’d additionally hiked the size of the Serpent path with a buddy over the course of the yr – so my endurance health was feeling fairly good. However I needed to get a bit extra long term match and that meant growing the weekend run and sooner or later introducing again to again runs in order that I obtained used to working with drained legs.
Frustratingly, about midway via the coaching I developed sciatica. It was fairly actually a ache within the bottom. There was a degree the place I actually didn’t know whether or not I might even make it to the beginning line. Nonetheless, being the organised management freak that I’m, I took cost of the matter and put a plan in place. I noticed a physio (shout out to the superb Body and Mind Physio in Petersfield whoop whoop!), began weekly Pilates, did stretches twice a day, had a working gait evaluation, did energy workout routines, I rested, and I didn’t sit for lengthy intervals of time. Slowly however certainly the sciatica began to ease, however my confidence had dipped. I’d missed out on some lengthy runs and I used to be unsure whether or not I’d be able to doing that type of distance. However I wouldn’t know until I attempted. So, with only a few weeks to go till the Atlantic Coast Problem, myself and two associates who have been additionally signed as much as it, determined to run/stroll from Petersfield to Hayling Island, a complete of twenty-two miles. We alternated between working a mile after which strolling a mile, which labored out nice – an opportunity to get some miles and time on our ft while additionally being comparatively light on my again and restoring my self-worth.
I’d carried out the coaching. I’d obtained all of the gear. I’d mentally ready myself for the largest problem I’d ever taken on. This was it. I used to be as prepared as I used to be ever going to be. Cornwall, let’s do that!
Day 1 Constantine Bay – Perranporth (26.2 miles)
We have been very lucky to be staying in a beautiful home in Porthleven that associates of a buddy owned, which meant we had a fab base, cozy beds, and plenty of house luxuries. If you signal as much as the Atlantic Coast Problem you’ve gotten the choice of staying in a static caravan in St Ives Caravan Park which is the occasion head quarters and the place it’s important to register every morning. However actually, give me a heat, cozy home each single time. It’s just like the distinction between tenting and glamping, and I undoubtedly know which one I choose.
I wakened on race day at 5am. It was nonetheless darkish exterior and I felt like how you’re feeling while you get up early and go to the airport. You recognize, slightly bit sicky and filled with anticipation. However after all, I wasn’t flying someplace sizzling and tropical immediately, no I had 26 miles looming forward of me. It was time to get this shit carried out!
Fortunately I’d managed to have an honest evening’s sleep, which was a minor miracle as regardless of sleeping like a log in my very own mattress I do have earlier in relation to not sleeping properly in unusual beds earlier than massive occasions, and never gonna lie, it was a priority. I did get up at 3.18am with bizarre nervousness desires about getting stains on my wedding ceremony costume, being late for the race, and my canine being eaten by piranhas, you understand the same old kinda stuff, however I used to be capable of get again to sleep till my 5am get up.
I pressured some porridge and a decaf espresso down, which I actually didn’t need, however knew it was essential to get some gasoline in me. I had one million wees and poos, packed my equipment, double checked my equipment, had one other wee after which left the home at 6am to go off and get registered. Registration was at St Ives vacation park, and it was there that we picked up our bib quantity, GPS tracker, listened to the briefing concerning the day, and obvs squeezed out one other wee. As soon as all that was carried out, it was again into the automotive for about an hour’s drive to the place to begin, Trevose Head lighthouse.
Now, I’ve not carried out one thing like this earlier than, however I’ve carried out a few half marathons and the Nice South Run, so I’m not a whole and utter virgin in relation to working occasions. I used to be anticipating a marquee, a begin line on the very least, perhaps a whistle or a gun shot, one thing, something to indicate it had began. However there was nothing, it was actually flip up and go. And that’s kinda the factor with the Atlantic Coast Problem, it’s a problem, not a race. It’s not about what time you do it in, it’s nearly doing it.
So off we go. The solar’s out, there’s no wind, it’s a good day for working. However my head is enjoying tips with me. I’m a little bit of a one for this. I attempt to have phrases with myself, to be my very own cheerleader, to close that chimp again in its field, nevertheless it will get me each time. I’m an over thinker, a catastrophiser, a ‘what if’ woman and all I may deal with was the enormity of the entire race. Not simply that day, or attending to that first checkpoint, no I used to be dwelling on the complete 3 days value of race and the way distant the end line was. And it was doing my head in. I couldn’t get my respiration proper, I felt sick, my pacing was all out of whack and all I may assume was if I felt like this now, within the first 6 miles, how on earth was I going to handle a trillion million extra!?!
However I plodded on, as a result of even one step ahead is a step forwards. I believe what didn’t assist was that I partly knew the terrain. We’d stayed in Mawgan Porth just a few years again on a vacation household and so I knew what was developing, and even that felt like such a good distance off, not to mention Lands Finish. Nonetheless, as soon as I’d obtained via Mawgan Porth, my mindset began shifting and I started to really feel happier. All of the sudden I may loosen up into the run a bit extra. By strolling the hills and working the flats I discovered a tempo that labored for me. The surroundings was gorgeous, a great deal of beachy coves, cute little bays and the folks have been all actually pleasant. There was no competitors between different runners, everybody would say one thing as they handed or run with you for a bit and have a chat, and the general public would cheers us on and assist level us in the suitable course if we regarded a bit misplaced.
Day 1 ended on probably the longest seaside in the complete world. We obtained slightly misplaced within the sand dunes for some time however managed to get again on observe and trekked throughout the seaside, the end flag simply in sight within the distance. The reward on the finish was a scrumptious cup of do-it-yourself lentil and tomato soup, which I wasn’t certain if I’d be capable of handle, however as quickly as that first sip hit my tummy it was like being given some type of life giving elixir mixed with an unlimited cuddle, precisely what was wanted after my very first marathon.
Day 1 Rundown
- Begin – Constantine Bay
- Checkpoint 1 – Mawgan Porth
- Checkpoint 2 – Porth
- Checkpoint 3 – Crantock Seashore
- End – Perranporth
Day 2 Chapel Porth – St Ives Vacation Park (26.2 miles)
I wakened feeling rather more optimistic about issues on day 2. I knew what to anticipate now. There was barely much less of the unknown. And certain I used to be aching, and drained, and nonetheless slightly bit apprehensive about whether or not I may do that, however I knew I might give it my greatest, and that my greatest was completely adequate.
One other early begin, though we did have the luxurious of an additional half an hour in mattress as immediately’s start line wasn’t as distant as yesterdays, so we may begin slightly later. But once more I’d slept brilliantly, partly because of me taking some Kalms tablets earlier than mattress, but additionally as a result of I used to be so flippin’ knackered!
It was a beautiful vibrant and sunny day, but additionally very windy, I misplaced rely of the variety of instances I needed to seize maintain of my cap to cease it from blowing away. I believed I’d provide you with a genius concept of attaching it to my hair with hair clips, however once I wanted to shed a layer as a result of I used to be sizzling, it ended up being a proper previous faff as my prime wouldn’t go over my head with the hat on. Within the kerfuffle, I managed to by some means lose my buff. Now, when you’re a runner you’ll understand how helpful a buff is. It retains your neck heat, you need to use it to wipe sweat away, it doubles up as a tissue (hey, don’t choose me, wiping your nostril on a buff is means nicer than clearing your nostril by doing that hideous snot rocket factor that I noticed lots of people doing that day!) Anyway, I realised when my nostril began working that I’d misplaced it, however there was no means I used to be going again to search for it, as a result of umm howdy I’m not including on miles to an already milesy run. Nicely, how shocked was I when fairly just a few extra miles in, my buddy noticed my buff draped over some railings. Some beautiful individual had clearly noticed it, picked it up, run with it, overtaken me, after which left it there. It was a small factor, nevertheless it made me smile.
Let’s discuss checkpoints. Votwo make certain every checkpoint is very well stocked. It’s a like a veritable buffet. Snacks included: jelly beans, mini cheddars, flapjacks, chocolate bars, peanuts, bananas, crisps, sandwiches, and there was additionally water, squash, cola, plus I believe some even supplied sizzling drinks. So, there was plenty of alternative. Greater than sufficient alternative. My physique had different concepts although. I believed mini cheddars can be my go to snack. I’d educated with them they usually’d labored brilliantly. It’s good to have one thing savoury in amongst all of the candy stuff. However once I tried consuming them on this run, my mouth was having none of it. They felt just like the driest factor to ever enter my mouth, and as I attempted to chew after which swallow, it was as if my mouth had forgotten find out how to work. Jelly beans… similar. Flapjacks… additionally the identical. And don’t get me began on the jam sandwich. I believed it might be good, to get one thing a bit bulkier in me, however think about a two day previous sandwich that’s been left to fester in a child’s faculty lunchbox and that’ll provide you with some concept as to what that sandwich tasted like. It was grim. Via means of elimination, I labored out that essentially the most palatable gadgets have been bananas and twixes, so I caught to these and that was just about my ‘lunch’ for 2 days. I needed to eat extra, however my abdomen was simply having none of it, and it was an effort to even pressure the bananas and twixes down. I did make certain I drank a lot although and had electrolytes in my bottles, which gave the impression to be sufficient for me (I’m happy to report that submit race my urge for food has come again with a vengeance and is unquestionably making up for any misplaced energy!).
The spotlight of the day was seeing seals at Godrevy. It was an actual choose me up second, one thing very a lot wanted after the three bitches (3 vertical ascents with steps as massive as your waist, one after the opposite, completely relentless). There was one more lengthy seaside immediately. I take again what I stated about yesterday’s seaside, THIS was the longest seaside on this planet… or not less than it felt prefer it. And this one got here with the double whammy of not solely stretching for 4km, but additionally ran alongside the end line. OK what’s incorrect with that, I hear you pondering. Nicely, I’ll let you know what’s incorrect with that. Sure, the end line was proper there over these sand dunes, however there was a sneaky additional checkpoint thrown in to be sure to didn’t cheat. And that checkpoint went previous the end level, down the remaining stretch of seaside, out into an industrial property, spherical a housing property after which again into the caravan park from the principle entrance. Bodily powerful. Mentally brutal. We staggered up what felt just like the longest driveway to get to the day 2 end level and was greeted with a cup of pea and mint soup. Two days carried out. One to go.
Day 2 Rundown
- Begin – Perranporth
- Checkpoint 1 – Chapel Porth
- Checkpoint 2 – Portreath
- Checkpoint 3 – Godrevy
- Checkpoint 3a – Hayle
- End – St Ives Vacation park
Day 3 Lelant – Lands Finish (28.5 miles)
Day 3. The ultimate slog. This was the lengthy one. It was all constructing as much as this. Not solely did we now have two marathon’s value of tiredness in our legs we additionally needed to take care of our longest run to this point. And it was raining. To be trustworthy, we’d obtained off calmly to this point with the climate, however this was going to make it additional powerful immediately. And boy was it powerful. My legs have been drained, my ft ached, and my toenails have been shot to items. I’d taken off my socks the day prior to this and was satisfied my toenails have been going to peel of with them they felt that damaged. Fortunately they didn’t, however the jury’s nonetheless out as as to whether they may all survive or not.
We began good and early and thank god we did, as a result of immediately was brutal. The rain in a single day had made the course just about unrunnable. It additionally turned out that there have been lower off instances. One thing which I had been fully oblivious of, as a result of they have been such beneficiant lower offs, that it was by no means going to be an issue. However immediately it was. The in a single day rain had made the bottom dangerously slippery. Like actually mud snowboarding with strolling poles. There have been additionally large boulder fields we needed to clamber over, which at factors concerned sitting down on my arse and sliding down them they have been that massive. To prime it off, the primary checkpoint was 16-17k away (all different checkpoints had been spaced out about 10k in between). This was soul destroying, fully and totally soul destroying.
To present some perspective about how powerful day 3 was, there have been a bunch of older guys, one in every of whom had carried out this race 15 instances (15!!!), who stated in all these 15 he had by no means seen the circumstances as dangerous because it was this time. It took us 6 hrs to get to checkpoint 2. 6 bloody hours. That’s not far off how lengthy it had taken us to do the entire of the opposite days. Plus one thing else we realized the next day after we checked again on the outcomes, was that out of the 311 individuals who signed as much as day 3, 164 didn’t end. That’s how powerful it was!
We made checkpoint 2 with simply 20 minutes to spare till lower off. That actually put the stress on. It was by far the very best checkpoint – actually simply on a rock in the midst of nowhere. Bananas and twixes have by no means tasted so good. Snacks consumed, drinks drunk, it was time to try to ramp up the tempo. There was no means I used to be going to let a time lower off be the rationale I didn’t get to complete this. It was head down, battle on via the rain. This wasn’t a day for taking pictures, this was a day for getting via it. Tin mines, rocky outcrops, waterfalls, the panorama was completely gorgeous, however in my thoughts I used to be feeling the stress to get to checkpoint 3. They usually have been going to be strict about this, as that last stretch was too harmful to do within the falling gentle.
We made checkpoint 3 by the pores and skin of our enamel. However we’d made it, we have been allowed to proceed. So, on we plodded.
Recognizing Lands Ends is each a blessing and a curse. You’re relieved as a result of it’s lastly there, nevertheless it’s nonetheless so distant and you may see what number of hills and coves it’s important to get round first earlier than you’re even near the elusive end line. Not gonna lie, it was a whole and utter headfuck.
I managed to run the previous couple of hundred metres to the end line, a sudden burst of power and such intense reduction that this was over. I used to be completely carried out in. Every part harm and I regarded and felt like I had aged about 30 years. My trainers have been hanging on by a thread they usually smelt as if one thing had crawled in and died in them. I used to be handed my medal and a Cornish pasty. I’d carried out it. Me, Bex Stafferton, just a few common mum from Hampshire, who’d had a little bit of a fuck it second in January and signed as much as this epic problem. Me who bloody hates the hoo har of occasions, not that fussed by medals, loves the couch. Yep me. I’d solely gone and bloody carried out it!
Day 3 Rundown
- Begin – Lelant
- Checkpoint 1 – Zennor
- Checkpoint 2 – Brandys (rock outcrop)
- Checkpoint 3 – Cape Cornwall
- End – Lands Finish
Put up Race Ponderings
Once I crossed that end line, I swore to myself that I might by no means ever do one thing like this once more. This was arms down the hardest factor I’ve ever needed to do. It had damaged me. I might select to provide start ten instances over slightly than undergo that once more. And but as I sit right here typing this submit, per week on, nonetheless a bit achy and my blackened toenails hanging on by mere threads, I’m questioning what my subsequent problem may very well be. As a result of it’s addictive this working lark. It’s a bloody miracle I’m even working in any respect to be trustworthy. I hated working and going for walks as a baby in order an grownup I had myself marked as somebody who simply couldn’t run. Becoming a member of the runnyhoneys, my native working group, modified that. I ran my first 5k with them and the remainder, properly the remainder is historical past. I’m now a marathon runner, an extremely runner, and I’ve simply certified as a run chief. I believe it’s protected to say that I’m certainly a runner.
And what concerning the sciatica? Nicely, seems I needn’t have apprehensive an excessive amount of about that. My again didn’t trouble me one iota whereas I used to be down in Cornwall. So, when you’re in search of a treatment for sciatica, I’d suggest working 80 miles! I believe what really occurred, is that my physique harm a lot in all places else, that it made me overlook all about my again and the sciatic ache. It was the least of my worries.
So, what now? Nicely, after I’ve carried out numerous sitting and plenty of consuming, maybe I may very well be satisfied to enroll to one thing else. I imply, now I’ve carried out this epic problem, I kinda really feel like I may actually tackle the world. If I can do one thing this powerful and get via it, even when all the things inside me is screaming to surrender, I don’t assume there’s something I couldn’t do. However perhaps I’ll simply do a bit extra of that sitting and consuming first!
Writer Bio
Becky Stafferton is a full-time content material creator, internet writer, and blogging coach. She regularly strives to advertise a practical, sustainable and optimistic picture of find out how to lead a wholesome life. When she’s not writing she could be discovered working via muddy puddles, making lists of lists, having a superb previous moan, speaking in humorous voices to her canine, renovating her home within the nation, and instructing others find out how to make cash from their blogs.
